Facts for Kale Vs. Lettuce

by Melodie Anne Coffman

Kale is higher in fiber than lettuce.

Leafy green vegetables like kale and lettuce are both rich in fiber and low in calories. Kale comes in deep green or purple colors. Lettuce varies in colors and varieties, including red and green romaine, iceberg and red leaf. Whether you're looking to lose weight or attempting to eat better, adding either of these leafy veggies to your plate can be beneficial.

Preparation

Preparation is a little different for each vegetable. You can eat lettuce in its raw state, but it is better to cook kale before consuming. Raw kale has an undesirable bitter flavor. Blanching it in water and chilling it makes it more palatable for a salad. You can also saute or steam kale and enjoy it as a hot side with your entree. Due to the high water content in lettuce, it does not typically cook well and it can get soggy if you steam it.

Fiber Content

Kale is slightly higher in fiber content than lettuce. The high fiber content helps stabilize the leafy veggie during cooking. Insoluble fiber from kale and lettuce sweeps through your gut like a broom, pushing out waste. This process keeps you regular and makes your bowel movements easy to pass. Women need 21 to 25 grams of fiber daily, while men need 30 to 38 grams, says the Mayo Clinic website. A 1-cup portion of raw, chopped kale has nearly 1 1/2 grams of fiber. The same amount of shredded lettuce contains a little less than 1 gram.

Calorie Comparison

Kale has approximately three times more calories than lettuce. A 1-cup serving of chopped lettuce provides around 10 calories, whereas the same amount of kale has more than 30 calories, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Almost all of the calories come from carbohydrates in both kale and lettuce. Each of these leafy vegetables provide trace amounts of fat and protein, which contribute minimally to the overall caloric value.

Amount of Calcium

Dark-colored leafy vegetables, such as kale, have a high calcium content. You need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day to keep your bones strong and to support a few other functions in your system. A 1-cup portion of raw, chopped kale offers around 90 milligrams of calcium, versus fewer than 15 milligrams from the same amount of lettuce. Even though both kale and lettuce provide calcium, oxalic acid in these vegetables inhibits absorption. Oxalic acid binds with calcium so that your body cannot absorb it. Since absorption is limited, you need to consume nearly 2 cups of cooked kale, or 4 cups of raw kale, to get the same amount of bioavailable calcium found in 8 ounces of milk, says the Linus Pauling Institute.

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About the Author

Melodie Anne Coffman has been writing for various online and print publications since 1996, specializing in human and animal nutrition. After receiving her master's degree in food science and human nutrition, she opened up her own nutrition consulting business in the New England area.

Photo Credits

green and red leaves of kale image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com

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